Laminated credit cards, identification cards and badge cards carrying information-bearing components such as photographs and identifying data have become widely used. These cards also commonly bear deposits of magnetic material to carry magnetically-coded information.
Most typically, the manufacturing of these items is done at one location and, e.g., the people to be photographed and the identifying data, initially, are at another location Thus, the completion of the manufacturing of the items, at the first location, generally occurs after such photographs and identifying data are provided from the second location.
Additionally, in apparatus which receives such cards, to apply or to read various information thereon, most particularly magnetically-coded information, edge detectors for the cards are commonly used. Typically, such detectors incorporate a light-emitting diodie (LED) and a photo-cell device to receive the beam of radiation from the diode. Thus, a break in such receipt then typically indicates an edge of a card. For example, detecting such an edge can be important in correlating where data is placed or present on the card, most particularly the magnetically-coded information, with the allocated or expected position for that data in the apparatus for applying or reading the data. An incorrect or false indication of an edge, then, can interfere with the proper operation of the apparatus.
The following are noted as representing background materials to the present subject matter: Siegel, U.S. Pat. No. 3,512,286, May 19, 1970; Peters, U.S. Pat. No. 3,457,661, July 29, 1969; Andrews, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,949,501, Apr. 13, 1976; Andrews, U.S. Pat. No. 4,330,350, May 18, 1982; Rudershausen et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,279,826, Oct. 18, 1966; Hannon, U.S. Pat. No. 2,984,030, May 16, 1961; Hannon, Reissue Re. U.S. Pat. No. 25,005, originally issued Apr. 19, 1960, reissued July 4, 1961; Berger, U.S. Pat. No. 3,204,354, Sept. 7, 1965; Gareis et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,568,824, Feb. 4, 1986; Gordon,e U.S. Pat. No. 4,101,701, July 18, 1978.
Siegel provides a credit card of thermoplastic material having a depression therein for a well adapted to receive a photograph. The well is surrounded by a shoulder forming a frame for a transparent window of flexible thermoplastic material which is bonded to the shoulder to seal in the photograph. Peters provides an opaque plastic core which can be printed on both sides, a transparent sheet on one side with an opening for a photograph, and transparent outside sheets.
In Andrews et al. '501, an opening in a preferably pigmented frame has peripheral dimensions which are approximately the same but slightly larger than the insert for the frame. A front sheet, carrying a strip of magnetic material, is preferably transparent and a back sheet is preferably opaque to provide a good background for embossed information thereon. In Andrews '350, again there is a strip of magnetic material. The frame has a well for an insert. However, a temporary insert element is provided in the well for support, for the outer envelope, e.g., during magentic coding.
Rudershausen et al. and the Hannon patents indicate, by way of example, that both the front and back of a card, and of an insert in the card, may carry information. In Berger, there are two identical photos. One appears through an opening in a sheet. The other is covered by the sheet which is reflective from the top. But the sheet passes sufficient light from the back so that, if a light is shone through the back, the second photo can be seen. This, of course, protects against tampering with the first photo that shows through.
Gareis et al. is representative of how, e.g., an identification card, can be provided with permanent magnets, magnetic sheets, magnetic tapes or metal sheets. Thus, magnetic locks or switches can be opened and coded magnetic information can be provided. Finally, Gordon, e.g., is indicative, by way of example, of the providing of embossed information.
The present subject matter conveniently provides the capability for completing manufacture of a card construction at a different location than that for the basic manufacturing, to efficiently incorporate photographs and other identifying information. It further, through its form, guards against false edge detection in apparatus which receives the card for applying or for reading information thereon.